Let Our Paths Cross
by Mystic Pebble
Summary: Have you ever wondered about things? Have you ever wondered about anything? Am I straying away from the subject? I'm sorry. Anywhoo, this is a fic where the Fellowship gets lost and finds things. Click on the story to find out more...
1. Prologue

Author's Note: Hello, someone persuaded me, but I won't tell you who (LegoalsGL619!) to write a lotr fic. It's really a fic that is still in working progress so I would advice all to proceed with utmost caution. Anyway, as for the full summary, a portal was opened to the far east of Middle-earth.  The Fellowship somehow enters it without knowing and discovers what lies beyond the realm of Rhun. Please read and review! Let me know what you think. ~Mystic Pebs~ 

Prologue

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The Fellowship was made and their journey was well underway.  They voyaged through woods and hills and mountains.  When, at last, they reached the dark halls of Moria when they were attacked by orcs and a balrog.  In battling the balrog, the wizard, Gandalf the Grey, fell into the abyss, leaving the devastated, but not divided, Fellowship behind to continue the rest of the journey without him.  Aragorn, now being the leader, reluctantly chose to go on without him.  Now, they are journeying towards the woods of Lothlorien, but little did they know that an alternative journey has already been set before them…

*   *   *

Many leagues past the Sea of Rhun, a little past the place of which the first men and elves woke, there is a set of mountain ranges that have never been traveled upon before in about an eon.  To anyone who lives near them, they were called the Lost Mountains.  "Lost" for there was always a mist surrounding the peaks even during the summer time, and so you cannot see what was behind those mists.  Little did they know that the fairest beings lived in the Lost Mountains, and they call themselves the Mountain Elves.  Fair and wise these elves are.  They favor the sound of the winds and the twinkling of the stars, because these things carried news of past, present, and future to them.  They are peaceful and loved to be amongst themselves and did not associated with the other races of Middle-Earth, even to their own elven-brothers of the west.  In the Lost Mountains, or Eladrien, as they called it, they dwelled peacefully and followed the news that the winds carried them from the west.   For some time, this news, of course, were not so good. For in these times, the ground is trembling and the winds are changing with the whispers of fear and shouts of terror.   Many of these were gathered by the wisest Mountain elf who lived in Eladrien, his name is Trimonitep.  He was the greatest and oldest prophet of the Mountain elves. This is where our story begins, in the mountains of Eladrien, the House of the King Morandil Soarmount.  

Trimonitep was sitting in a great room bathed with the sun's light.  It was a grand, marble room filled with rolls of parchment and shelves of books.  He was again studying his scrolls for the last time.  He wanted to make sure that he had everything in place before his journey to the Great River Of Incantes, which was the "road" to take to the Grey Havens (and eventually to Valinor) by the Mountain elves.  He also wanted them to be organized so that his trusted student/apprentice, the Princess Aravad Soarmount, the only daughter of King Morandil, can study them.  He leaned over to get a better look on the parchment he was reading. A gust of wind blew from the opened window and scattered his scrolls on the floor.

  "What luck this is! When I had them almost to my liking, the wind pushes them away!" he muttered under his breath as he stood up to pick them up.  He halted and listened for a bit.  His dark green, twinkling eyes were staring straight ahead.  "Oh, this cannot be good, not good at all.  Times indeed are changing." 

  "Since when does it not?" asked a female voice.  He turned around to see whom the voice belonged to.  A tall and beautiful young woman with hair that was so long and so dark like the starless night and dressed in a flowing, palest blue dress made with the fairest elvish cloth.  It shined against the sunlight that flowed in the room.  She wore a silver circlet with beads that looked as unbreakable as an ivory but they shined like pearls.  "Are you planning to bring these scrolls with you to the west?" 

  "No, no, my dear, I was simply running through them again to make sure I have not missed anything.  After all, as of tomorrow, you will be using them to write your own scrolls," said Trimonitep, picking up his last piece of scroll off the ground. Aravad walked towards him and helped pick up the scrolls.  He sat back to his chair with a weary look on his ageless face. His long, golden hair flowed down his shoulders as he leaned back to read his writings.  Aravad surveyed him with her dark gray eyes.  She looked at him as if she was trying to read his thoughts.  At last, she spoke.

  "You are worried about the journey, are you not?" 

  "Very much so, I have never traveled away from Eladrien before, and knowing that I cannot go back to her borders. But I have no regrets, for my time here is passing.  I shall be quite relieved when I get there.  As you know, I never did like traveling, whether walking or riding on a boat."  He looked at the sad expression on her face.   He put his scrolls down and said in a pleasant voice, "Do you remember what I first taught you about the stars?"

Aravad's young face had lightened a little bit.  "Of course, you said that they have the tendency to deceive the fates of individuals.  They seem to say both yes and no."

  "That is why the elves advice the way they do," chuckled Trimonitep.  "Very good that you remembered. Now, do you remember what I first taught you about the wind?"

  "Yes, you said that the wind is the earth singing its many songs to the creations of the land.  Though not many understand its language, it most certainly brings many news to the one who listens to it," said Aravad, smiling and stood back on the same place she was standing on.  

Trimonitep gazed away to the outside of the room, his eyes anxious and sad.  He sighed and said, "I have taught you too well, my Aravad, too well, indeed.  I am afraid that if your father finds out, he will have my head.  That is if I haven't left yet," he added with a slight smile. 

  "But father said you haven't taught me everything.  He often talked about the ways of the west.  That he says, you have not taught me."  

He looked thoughtful.  After a while, he said,  "Ah, I know of which he speaks of.  And yes, he is right.  I am afraid I do not know how to teach you that. But a wise man once told me that it is better to experience it than to explain it with words." 

Aravad looked at him, puzzled.  "I do not understand.  What experience of which you speak of, Master Trimonitep?"

He was about to tell her when the king strode into the room.  He looked like a great and ageless king standing proud and strong over his kingdom.  His hair was as dark like his daughter's and flowed down his broad shoulders.  It was shiny and long with a silver circlet on his brow.  He walked over to Aravad and smiled.  

  "Having some last minute lessons, I see, eh, Trimonitep?  What have you got to teach my daughter that you have not taught her yet?" asked the King Morandil to the prophet, his voice strong and deep like his stature.  

  "Nothing more than what I already had.  She has learned so much than any of the students that I have ever taught," answered Trimonitep.  

  "Good, and you are ready for tomorrow's trip? It will take at least two days for us to journey there," he explained to Trimonitep.  He turned to his daughter and said, "I understand that you will remain here to look after the kingdom? But you do not have to, my daughter.  Eladrien can be left alone for a few days.  No one will dare trespass her borders."

  "I feel better if I was to be left behind, father.  I do not want to see Master Trimonitep to leave to the Havens.  It would be rather difficult for me," she said. "Besides, I do need practice being in charge of the kingdom, for someday it will be my turn to rule Eladrien," she added with a smile. 

  "What sly creature you are, my daughter!" exclaimed Morandil.  "Then so be it.  You shall stay here with your handmaidens while the rest of us journey to the Great River of Incantes."

  "Ah, the river shall serve as the road to the Havens," said Trimonitep, slightly frowning.  "We surely cannot stray of our way."  He stood up and took Aravad's left hand.  "To my dear student, Aravad, only this I can say to you, let the stars and winds guide you to your path.  Your powers were not just given to you out of spite but they know you have the strength to handle them.  Ah, my time is drawing ever so near.  Farewell, my Aravad, I have been at your service for only so long.  I do hope that it was more than what I can give you."

  "Do not worry, Master Trimonitep, your service is well-served," said Aravad, bowing to him.

  "No more of this unhappy parting.  We should make it a grand farewell!  You are leaving this world for a better one, Trimonitep," said Morandil, putting an arm around the prophet.  "Come, a great celebration has been set up for you.  Let us go and join the others."

And that night, when the moon waned over the high mountain kingdom of Eladrien, a farewell celebration was held in honor of the master prophet of the Mountain elves, Trimonitep Clearbreeze.

I hope you liked that.  I really sucked at summaries so I do hope you review.  Let me know what you think and feel free to suggest things coz this is my first time to write a lotr fanfic.  Please leave a review! Thank you!                


	2. Chapter 1

Author's Note:  Here's chapter one.  I hope you all like it.  It starts off after the Fellowship left Moria and is now down at Mirrormere, or Kheled-zaram.  I do not own anything that has to do with Lord of the Rings.  However, I am proud to own the Mountain Elves and anything that relates to them.  Please read and review and let me know what you think. Happy reading! ~Mystic Pebs~

Chapter 1

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Headed by Aragorn, the Company went down the rough and faded road from the Gates.  For a while, they walked in silence, pondering about the incidents of Moria.  They walked in a line, the order as follows: Aragorn in the front who looked around on which roads to take, he was followed by Frodo, then Gimli with Merry and Pippin, Legolas and Sam, and then Boromir.  All that could be heard was their footsteps on the ground and the merry singing of tree birds far away.  At last, they reached a bend that led them to a grassy area.  

Upon reaching it, Gimli exclaimed, "There! That is Durin's Stone! I cannot past on without having to peek at the wonder of the dale."

  "Very well," said Aragorn, "you may but hurry on, for the Orcs might gather here by sunset.  I, among all of you, would not wish to linger when they do."

  "Come with me, Frodo.  You should see the wonders of Kheled-zaram," said the dwarf excitedly, already walking away from the road.  Frodo and Sam followed him.  They walked after him though weary and tired.  Frodo searched for Gimli, for he was nowhere to be seen.  

  "Where is he?  I thought he will show us the dale," said Frodo to Sam.  Sam shrugged.

  "I do not know, sir.  But shall we call out to him?  He was quite excited to go to this place.  Maybe he did not notice that he had gone so far before us," said Sam.  

  "Master Gimli!" called out Sam.  But before he could call more, Frodo stopped him.  

  "Look at that?  Are those the wonders in which Gimli has mentioned?" said Frodo, eyeing something in front of him.  It was different scenery from everything about it.  It had tall trees but different trees that normally grew around it.  Frodo and Sam walked into it and found themselves in a different place.  The surroundings were unlike the ones they were just in.  Most importantly, there were no dale of any sort; just thick trees could be seen from miles and miles away.  Frodo looked around him.  He was confused as to where they were.  

  "I do not think that this is what Master Gimli intended us to show," muttered Sam behind Frodo.  He was also surveying the land with wonder and uncertainty.  

  "As I," said Frodo.  

Meanwhile, back to Mirrormere, Gimli was searching for Frodo.  _He must witness this marvel.  He should be here by now.  It does not take many strides from the road to here, _he thought. 

  "Frodo!" called out Gimli.  "Come and see this!"  But there was no answer.  He began to search for Frodo at the nearby greensward.  He yet called out for him but there was no answer.  He decided to go back to the road to Aragorn.  

  "Have you seen it?  Shall we go now? Where are Frodo and Sam?" asked Aragorn as he saw the upset look on the dwarf's face.  

  "He has left me at the dale.  I thought he would be here with all of you.  I reckoned he did not wish to see it.  But what creature would not want to see where Durin himself had looked upon the kingdom that he founded later?  It makes my heart sadden when he did not follow me," said the dwarf miserably.  

  "Do you mean he is not with you?  Then where is he?  And Sam?" asked Boromir, looking about him.  He decided to follow the trail of Gimli that led to the dale.  

  "Wait, Boromir, I must go with you," said Aragorn, walking up to him.  "Who knows what danger these hobbits might be.  Legolas, try to look beyond the trees.  Let me know what you see and hear.  Stay here with Merry and Pippin. Gimli, lead the way to the Mirrormere."

The dwarf looked excited as Aragorn had said these words and beckoned the two men to follow him to the sward and to the Mirrormere.  They searched for the two hobbits there for a while when Legolas came up to them, behind were Merry and Pippin.

  "What's wrong?" asked Aragorn.

  "I heard some rustling nearby and some distant rumble.  I am guessing it's the orcs coming down.  We must go now before it's too late," reported Legolas.  

  "We cannot go without Frodo and Sam," said Merry.  "They are the reason why we are here."  

  "He is right.  Let's all search for them." 

And so the Company searched to and fro for Frodo and Sam.  They were not at all successful when Pippin came upon something a patch of different landscape, so different from its surroundings.

  "Look!" he cried to the others.  "I reckoned this is where they might be.  I would have gone in there too out of curiosity if I was them." 

  "You are perhaps right, Pippin.  Come, let us see if our companions are there," said Aragorn, carefully leading the way to the entrance of the landscape.  They came upon the same environment of thick trees and flat grounds.  Aragorn surveyed the ground to see where the hobbits might have gone.  Indeed, he noticed two pairs of hobbit-prints not a long way from where they were standing.  

  "It seems that they were standing here, perhaps looking around the strange surroundings.  Indeed, I have never seen this place before.  It is as if we took a wrong turn on a road and ended up in a foreign land," said Aragorn, standing up.  

  "It is a strange place, I have never seen any forest that is even close to this," said Legolas. 

  "They went this way.  Come, let's follow these trails."  

They followed Aragorn straight ahead on a path of fallen leaves and soft earth.  They walked on as what seemed like forever when Legolas stopped them and pointing to the east.  

  "There, I hear something over there," he said.  He cupped his hand on his forehead as he looked on to the direction he was pointing.  "I see two hobbits, one of them sitting under a tree and the other standing close to him.  It seems one of them is hurt, for he is clutching his chest.  As to who it is, I cannot see their faces.  Come, swiftly, for we might not be too late." 

Legolas ran down the path he has pointed and swiftly disappeared in front of the others.  When the rest of them got to the spot where Sam and Frodo were, they halted and saw Sam lying under a huge tree, one of the biggest trees in the forest, and Frodo frantically trying to mend him.  Aragorn bent down to examine Sam.  

  "What happened?" asked Merry to Frodo.

  "We were looking for Gimli when we came upon some sort of portal that led us here, in this strange place.  We began to look around when some sort of creatures, whether it was orcs or not I could not tell, attacked us.  We tried to fight with all our might, but they were too strong for us.  Then that's when Sam took a nasty blow on the chest.  I did not know what to do, as I am not experienced with mending wounds, and I did not have the courage enough to leave Sam here because he would not do that to me if I was in his place," explained Frodo.  He turned to Aragorn, who was still surveying Sam with care.  "What is it?  What's wrong with him?" 

Aragorn had gently pushed the side of the wound and just as he did, Sam gave out a loud shout of pain.  He looked up to Frodo and said, "This is a strange wound to me but none the same, I must still mend it.  Let's search for a plant called amisdead, it is similar to Kingfoil but is a bit stronger.  I do not know if they grow here, but we must have faith."  

The Company scattered looking for the plant the Aragorn had just mentioned.  Little did they know that the only hands that can mend such a wound that Sam possessed was one of the unknown resident of the Lost Mountains, whose forest they were now treading. 


	3. Chapter 2

This chapter deals with Aravad's point of view now.  Please read and review.  Do not forget that I do not own anything that has to deal with Lord of the Rings, just the Mountain elves and anything that has to do with them.  

Chapter 2

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Aravad stood at the highest tower overlooking the kingdom of Eladrien.  She stood there half-listening to the wind and half-thinking with her eyes closed.  It was about six hours since her father and the Mountain elves have left Eladrien to bid Trimonitep a farewell in his journey to the Havens.  She had stood there to see them journey to the Great River, which was many miles past the Western Gates of Eladrien.  On this tower, which was also a watchtower for the elves, Aravad could see many leagues past the kingdom.  A slight breeze blew past her face when one of her handmaidens came up to see what she was up to.  

  "Your highness, you have been standing here for quite a while.  Do you not wish to come down and share a meal with us?" asked the elven maiden.  

Aravad opened her eyes.  She turned around to face her and said, "Yes, in a moment, Kiamarie.  I am listening to the wind.  It is telling me something, strangers are coming forth from the west, but I do not know when."

  "Perhaps it will be long from now.  The first thing you must do now is eat a meal.  You have not done so since the grand feast.  Come down from that platform and follow me," Kiamarie beckoned the princess to follow her, and, reluctantly, Aravad took one last look out the tower and stepped down to join Kiamarie to climb down the steps.  Kiamarie was a very faithful servant of Aravad and was one of her first maidens.  They were basically the same age and grew up together.  Kiamarie was a tall, young woman with dark brown hair, which she always kept in a half-braid.  Aravad and Kiamarie descended the steps of the tower and headed to the Great Hall of the kingdom, which was the hall where the king and his servants dine.  It was a grand marble room with a long table, which could seat as many as three-dozen people. As they reached the path that led to the Great Hall, Aravad stopped suddenly.  

  "What is the matter, your highness?" asked Kiamarie, looking at her.

Aravad stood as if listening to something.  "I hear troubled voices, down deep in the forest.  Come, we must see what it is.  Let us inform the others." 

Aravad walked more quickly towards the Hall but stopped.  Kiamarie was still standing on the same place.  Aravad turned around and gave her friend a quizzical look.  "Why are you still standing there?  Do you not want to see what queer things happen at the foot of the Mountains? What is wrong?"

Kiamarie hesitated and then said, "I do not think we need to go down there.  Your father had said for us to stay here, within the safe walls of Eladrien.  It is better if we do not meddle in things that we cannot deal with, Aravad." 

  "Whoever said that I could not deal with trouble, Kiamarie?  You of all people should know better that to say those words," said Aravad, and she began to walk away.  "And besides, father left me to protect Eladrien, so I will do what I must, and that is to see what is going on."

  "But Eladrien can be protected by the powers that behold it, Aravad.  The elders created the protection by their own craft.  So whatever it is, we will not be affected by it.  Aravad, please, stay within Eladrien, do not go down there."  But Aravad was not listening, for she had already entered the Hall.  "Cursed your stubbornness, Aravad," muttered Kiamarie under her breath as she entered the Hall.  

Aravad stood on the entrance of the Hall and said,  "Maidens, we have an errand to do.  I have heard of trouble at the depths of the forest.  We all shall see what it is.  Now I need all of your help, so stop what you are doing and come with me."  

Aravad prepared to leave the hall when one of her maidens called to her.  "Your highness, how are we to get there?  And shall we arm ourselves?"

  "Well, Morriana, we are to get there on foot.  We shall dress ourselves in hunting clothes.  We shall be clad in green and brown, just as the Silvans do," she answered.  "Now enough of this, we must make haste."  

Aravad went up to her chamber and got dressed in her hunting clothes, which were green to hide her in the trees and brown boots made out of the toughest hides in Middle-earth.  She put her dark blue cloak, which resembled a starless night sky, over her clothes and armed herself with her bow and quiver, and an elvish dagger that was tied around her left leg.  She left her chamber and went with her maidens at the steps leading down to the foot of the mountain.  The maidens were almost all dressed similarly as Aravad, green and brown clothes armed in bows and quivers. As she approached them, Kiamarie spoke.

  "Aravad, have you thought of any plans?"

  "Yes, we will follow the voices wherever they will lead to, then we shall see what happens next," answered Aravad confidently, as she beckoned them to follow her. 

  "That is a very promising plan, Aravad.  But I do dread what happens when we get there," Kiamarie said dryly.  Aravad ignored her and continued to walk down the path that she had just chosen.  She paused for a moment as if listening for distant noises and would sometimes change paths.  She would stop and turn left or right if she had heard anything.  The maidens were beginning to think that they were being fooled or, worse, lost.  

Morriana grew restless and finally voiced out the thoughts that have been troubling the rest, "Your highness, we have been wondering for quite a while.  Do you have any idea at the very least as to what we are looking for?"  

  "Voices, Morriana, I heard them.  They need our help.  We must find them," answered Aravad.

  "But what if it is some creature like a deer that had just been preyed upon by a wolf?  I do not think it will need our help for it was nature's intent," interjected Morriana.

Aravad stood dead as she said those words.  Morriana, fearing she had said something to offend the princess, said, "Forgive me, Princess, what I meant to say was-"

But the princess silenced her by holding out her hand.  "There's a different voice in the air, too different a voice.  It came from that way.  Let's go."

She took the opposite path of where she was standing and walked on following the sound of the voice she had heard.  Her maidens quietly followed behind her.  Suddenly, she stopped next to a tree and peered around.  She saw two figures bending down next to a giant tree as if looking for something.  One of them was tall and rugged, and the other, very small, almost childlike, it seemed.

  "Strangers," she whispered to her companions.  The maidens behind her looked at each other nervously.  "Kiamarie, Dravas, and Ludaveil, you three come with me.  The rest stay here and get your bows out.  Do not do anything until I signal for you to. The same goes for you three.  Do not do anything unless I tell you to.  Now, come with me."

Quietly (or as quiet as elves can get), they approached the two figures, whose backs were turned to them.  Aravad hastily but carefully placed on her bow an arrow.  She approached the tall figure of a man, which still stood there with his back turned unperturbed by her presence.  She raised her bow up to the man's back and said in her own elvish language, which translates to, "Halt, stranger, what is one like you doing in this forest?"

The tall man stopped what he was doing.  The arrow of Aravad was now touching his back.  He turned around.  Aravad saw a travel-worn man with a rugged face.  He had taken a step back from her and said in the Common Tongue, "Kind lady, I have no intentions of hurting you so please put your bow down."

But Aravad continued to look at him with skepticism in her eyes.  She remained how she was.  Behind him the smaller figure, which seemed to be a boy with curly, brown hair, looked at her with wonder.  Again, the man said,  "I do not want to hurt you.  Please, put your bow and arrow away." 

When Aravad was about to speak, more strangers approached them.  They were an unlikely company to her.  Two more childlike people, a man, a small bearded fellow, and a tall, fair elf whom Aravad had all never seen before.

  "Aragorn," said the elf, "we have not seen the plant of which you spoke off."  He caught a glimpse of the four elven maidens. He looked at them curiously.  A loud moan came from the giant tree. 

Kiamarie said to Aravad (still in their language),  "There is a young mortal who is hurt.  Look. We must tend to him.  We might not be too late."

Aravad put down her bow and approached the tree.  She saw another one of the childlike people laying beside the tree, wounded.  She handed her bow to Ludaveil and searched for the wound on the young man.  As she found it, the young man was let out a cry of pain.  Aravad turned to Kiamarie and said,  "Kiamarie, Ludaveil, please take him up to Eladrien.  There I will treat him.  He does not have much time, so go quickly.  Dravas, tell the others of what has happened.  Come on, to Eladrien we go back."  

Dravas bowed down and left them.  Kiamarie and Ludaveil nodded and gently carried the young man, who was the wounded Samwise.  They all began to walk away when one of the smaller strangers said,

  "What are you doing? Where are you taking Sam?"

 They halted. Aravad turned around to survey the young stranger, who was Frodo.  She signaled the two maidens to go and said, in Common Tongue, to Frodo,  "Do not worry, little one.  We will take care of your friend in my kingdom.  Come, if you must, for I will not harm you."  

Aravad started walking again.  Meanwhile, the Company looked at each other.  At last Aragorn spoke,  "Who are they?  They look like elves, and most certainly act like some.  Legolas, have you recognized any of them?" 

Legolas looked at where the maidens had left.  He said, "No, I have not heard of or seen any of them before.  They are very strange to me for the language they had just used was a very old one.  I have not heard of it for a long time."  

  "Well, are we not going to go after them?  They have taken Samwise with them," said Boromir.  He had already chosen to follow the path that had been set by the ladies.  The hobbits soon followed him, led by Frodo.  Legolas looked at Aragorn.

  "I will be ahead to see what I can get out of the elves.  I will try to ask them questions as to where we are."  At that, he light-footedly ran ahead to Boromir and soon disappeared from their sights.  

Aravad was slightly behind her maidens when somebody leapt in front of her.  She was startled and was about to pull out her bow when she recognized the person as the elf she had seen with the strange company.  

  "Are your friends following us too?" she asked.  

  "Yes, they are way behind us.  But tell me, my lady, you are an elf but I have never seen one such as you.  Or my eyes had been deceived for there are so many elven maidens who roam around this forest," said the elf, Legolas.

  "Your eyes have not been deceived.  You are right, and I am an elf.  It is not really normal for us to move about the depths of the forest.  Now, if it is all right with you, kind sir, I rather not discuss these matters with you here.  There are many ears inside a forest."  With that, she strode on faster, leaving him behind.  Soon after, the rest of the Company had finally caught up with him.      

  "Did you find out anything?" asked Aragorn. 

 Legolas shook his head.  "She would not tell me anything." 

They continued their walk.  It wasn't a very short distance when they saw another elven maiden standing in their way.  It looked as though she had been expecting them.  She saw them and said, 

  "You all must be the strangers the princess was talking about.  I am Morriana and my job is to take you to our kingdom.  Come with me," said the elf, beckoning the Company to follow her. "It is not far from here, only about so many strides away.  The rest of us have already gone home.  I am sure that they are looking after your friend."

  "Fair maiden, can you tell us where we are?" asked Aragorn.  

  "Yes, please tell, for it seems impossible for me to comprehend that there is a kingdom of elves around this place," commented Boromir.  

  "It is quite impossible, sir, for our kind to dwell around here.  However, I am not in the right position to reveal anything to you without the princess's permission.  I am sorry but you will just have to trust your instincts," answered Morriana.  For a while, they walked and holding their questions only to their minds.  At last, they reached a series of stone steps that led up the steep side of a tall mountain.  It was tall and as they got nearer and nearer, they noticed the mountain had many towers that stood glittering and glimmering on the sunlight.  Many buildings also lay bathed in sunlight on their splendors.  It was truly a magnificent sight as the Company halted to stare at the wonders of the Mountain.  Finally, the elven maiden beckoned them to follow her to a grand veranda where the sun's light flooded the marble benches that stood around the edges.  In the middle of the veranda was a large stone table, which was at the moment bare.  Morriana indicated them to sit down on the benches.

As they did, she said,  "The princess wishes for all of you to remain here for now.  Some food will be brought to you in order to refresh you.  If you need anything, you can ring this bell on the doorway and I shall come and look after your needs.  Again, I cannot answer any of your questions.  Please wait here for the Princess."

As she prepared to leave, Aragorn stood up and called after her, "My lady, if it is not any trouble, but can you tell me what is the name of your princess?"

Morriana thought for a moment, as if debating to reveal this information.  Finally, she answered,  "I am guessing that it is not much of a trouble.  After all, you must know that people you are trusting, even though they are reluctant to reveal much.  Very well, sirs, our princess's name is Aravad, Aravad Soarmount."    


End file.
